Agenda item

With reference to Article 12 of the minute of meeting of the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee of 16 January 2018, which had been referred to it for consideration by eight members of the Committee in terms of Standing Order 31.1, the Council had before it a notice of motion by Councillor Delaney in relation to Broad Street; and the decision of the Committee, which was as follows:-

(i)        to agree that changing the Council’s policy on Broad Street, before we have seen the impact of buses, cycles and pedestrians using the shared space, will have significant implications for our established transport strategy agreed at the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee on 20 January 2016. To note that there may also be implications for the funding already secured from Sustrans in support of the delivery of the project;

(ii)       to agree that the existing Traffic Regulation Order would have to be amended and any such amendment would require to go through a lengthy legal process. This two stage process is likely to cause delays to the completion of the scheme and it would be May 2018 at the earliest before the legal process could be completed, noting this process would be open to objections, particularly from the public transport operators which may result in the requirement for a Public Hearing, extending the timescale for delivery by a further six to nine months;

(iii)      to agree to proceed with the full implementation of the Broad Street partial pedestrianisation as previously agreed at Council on 29 June 2016; and

(iv)      to instruct the Interim Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to carry out a full review of the Broad Street partial pedestrianisation (one year after opening) on the effectiveness of the scheme, the implications on the city centre network, the City Centre Masterplan and reporting back with recommendations taking into consideration (ii) above to members at the earliest opportunity.

Councillor Delaney moved, seconded by Councillor Hutchison:-

            That the Council approve the amended notice of motion as follows -

(1)      to note the decision of Council of 29 June 2016 to permit buses, cyclists and pedestrians to use the “shared surface” proposed for Broad Street;

(2)      to note the concerns raised by people with visual, hearing and mobility loss regarding the safe use of the planned “shared surface” on Broad Street;

(3)      to agree that in the interests of public safety Broad Street should be fully pedestrianised between its junctions with Upperkirkgate and Queen Street and to instruct the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment to commence the Traffic Regulation Order for this measure with costs for this legal process to be met from contingencies and to report to the appropriate committee in this regard; and that this report identifies a safe segregated cycling route as well as accessibility routes into Marischal College, following consultation with the Disability Equity Partnership;

(4)      to instruct the Interim Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to explore with Sustrans any funding implications which may arise from this change and to report this to the appropriate committee; and

(5)      to instruct the Interim Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure to enter into discussions with bus operators regarding changes to bus routes and stops as a result of a road closure between Upperkirkgate and Queen Street to lessen the impact upon city centre residents seeking to access routes and report back to the relevant committee; and that officers are instructed to review the traffic light sequencing on routes including, but not exclusive to, Union Street, King Street and West North Street to reflect a permanent closure.

Councillor Grant moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(1)      agree that changing the Council’s policy on Broad Street before the impact of buses, cycles and pedestrians using the shared space has been seen, will have significant implications for the Council’s established transport strategy agreed at the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee on 20 January 2016, and note that there may also be implications for the funding already secured from Sustrans in support of the delivery of the project;

(2)      agree that the existing Traffic Regulation Order would have to be amended and any such amendment would require to go through a lengthy legal process. This two stage process would be likely to cause delays to the completion of the scheme and it would be September 2018 at the earliest before the legal process could be completed, noting that this process would be open to objections, particularly from the public transport operators which may result in the requirement for a public hearing, extending the timescale for delivery by a further six to nine months;

(3)      agree to proceed with the full implementation of the Broad Street partial pedestrianisation as previously agreed at Council on 29 June 2016; and

(4)      instruct the Chief Officer for Strategic Place Planning to:

(a)      conduct a road safety review of the scheme, with relevant stakeholders including the Disability Equity Partnership, bus companies and the Aberdeen Cycle Forum, six months after opening, and report back with any recommendations at the earliest opportunity to the next available committee; and

(b)      conduct a full review of the Broad Street partial pedestrianisation, one year after opening, on the effectiveness of the scheme, the implications on the city centre network and the City Centre Masterplan and report back with recommendations, taking into consideration (2) above, to the relevant committee at the earliest opportunity.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (22)  -  Councillors Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, Catriona MacKenzie, McLellan, McRae, Nicoll, Noble, Samarai, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

For the amendment  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Boulton, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Hunt, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, Avril MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Sellar, Jennifer Stewart and Wheeler.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the amendment.

In terms of Standing Order 29.7, Councillors Delaney, Greig and Yuill intimated their dissent against the foregoing decision.